Pathogenesis of Rinderpest Virus Infection in Rabbits I. Clinical Signs, Immune Response, Histological Changes, and Virus Growth Patterns

Rabbits were intravenously inoculated with an attenuated rinderpest virus (L strain), and general patterns of the disease were investigated. The rabbits developed fever with concomitant occurrence of diarrhea and lymphopenia. Early production of interferon was followed by a rise of neutralizing antibody. Histological examinations revealed an involvement of all of the lymphoid tissues, with primary lesions consisting of necrosis of the lymphoid follicles and formation of giant cells. Immunofluorescent examinations suggested that the virus growth was present in almost all of the lymphoid tissues. The possibility of application of this experimental system for the study of systemic infection by measles virus was discussed.     

Immunosuppressive activity induced by nitric oxide in culture supernatant of activated rat alveolar macrophages.

Alveolar macrophages (AM) from normal rats had immunosuppressive activity to mitogen-induced proliferative responses of splenic lymphocytes. We studied the mechanism and the implication of the nitric oxide synthetase pathway in AM-mediated suppression of concanavalin A (Con A)-induced lymphocyte proliferation. The culture supernatant from AM cultures alone did not have immunosuppressive activity to Con A-induced proliferative responses of non-adherent spleen cells (n-ad SC), but the culture supernatant from co-culture of AM and autologous n-ad SC had this activity. Con A-pulsed AM also liberated the immunosuppressive factor. When AM and autologous n-ad SC were cultured separately under the condition that medium could freely communicate, the culture supernatant did not suppress the Con A-induced proliferative response of n-ad SC. This indicated that the immunosuppressive factor was liberated when AM was activated by cell-to-cell contact with n-ad SC. Further, we examined the immunosuppressive activity of the culture supernatant of co-culture of AM and autologous n-ad SC to Con A-induced responses of allogeneic n-ad SC and xenogeneic murine n-ad SC, and allogeneic mixed leucocyte reaction, and found that this culture supernatant could suppress all these proliferative responses. Nitrate (NO2-) synthesis was markedly augmented in the culture supernatants of Con A-pulsed AM and co-culture of AM and n-ad SC. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (MMA), a specific competitive inhibitor of the nitric oxide synthetase pathway (NOSP), extinguished both NO2- synthesis by AM and AM-mediated immunosuppressive activity. These data suggest that NOSP was important in AM-mediated suppression of Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation.     

C to T transition at the first nucleotide of codon 63 of the β-globin gene corresponding to hemoglobin M-Saskatoon in an Indonesian boy

Summary Hemoglobin (Hb) M-Saskatoon, a variant of methemoglobin, is characterized by mild hemolysis. It is caused by the substitution of a histidine by a tyrosine at the 63rd amino acid residue of the -globin chain. Amplification and sequence analysis of genomic -globin DNA from an Indonesian boy diagnosed as having the more severe disease thalasemia demonstrated the presence of a C to T transition at nucleotide 473 in one of the two -blogin genes resulting in a histidine to tyrosine substitution at 63rd residue. This amino acid change matched with that reported in Hb M-Saskatoon. This nucleotide change abolished a recognition site for the restriction endonucleaseNlaIII.NalIII digestion of the corresponding -globin DNA amplified from the patient's parents indicated that the mutation was inherited through from his mother. This result shows that the world-wide distribution of Hb M-Saskatoon extends to Indonesia, where it was not previously identified. Possible causes of the unusually severe symptoms observed in the case are discussed.     

Effect of solvent evaporation rate on microphase-separated structure of segmented poly(urethane-urea) prepared by solution casting

A useful instrument for polymer film preparation by solution casting was employed in this study. It enabled us to control the solvent evaporation rate of the polymer solution. By using this instrument, the aggregation of hard segments in segmented poly(urethane-urea) (SPUU) was investigated. SPUU was prepared from poly(tetramethy1ene oxide), 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and ethylenediamine. The effect of solvent evaporation rate on the microphase-separated structure of SPUU was elucidated by dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile test, differential scanning calorimetry analysis, small-angle X-ray scattering measurement, IR and IR dichroism analyses. The aggregation of hard segments in SPUU was observed to be affected considerably by the solvent evaporation rate of the cast film during the preparation. It was found that the slower the solvent evaporation rate, the higher the aggregation of hard segments to form rigid hard segment domains in SPUU. Nine months after casting, this casting effect still remained on the aggregation state of hard segments of SPUU films, although the interdomain spacing was not influenced by its rate.     

The cyclo-copolymerization of diallyl compounds and sulfur dioxide, 6. 1,6-Heptadiene and sulfur dioxide

Copolymers from 1,6-heptadiene ( 1 ) and SO₂ with various mole ratios of their units were prepared. Their structures were studied by elemental analyses, IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Structures containing a cyclopentane ring ( 2 ) and such containing a thiane ring ( 3 ) in the main chain are proposed.     

Metanephric adenoma of the kidney

A case of a rare renal tumor showing characteristic histo-logic features is presented. The patient was a 54 year old female, whose renal tumor was incidentally detected on abdominal ultrasound (US) examination. Ultrasound, computed tomography and angiography findings were consistent with a diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma of the hypovascular type. Left nephrectomy was performed. The tumor, which measured 2.6 times2.6 times 2.5 cm, was located in the left renal cortex, and had a uniformly whitish-yellow cut surface and well-defined margin. Histologically, the tumor was characterlzed by its monomorphous growth pattern and was composed of uniformly small cells arranged in a tubular or rosette-like pattern. The tumor cells had scant cytoplasm and the nuclei were small, round and regular. These histo-logic features resembled the epithelial elements of a metanephric hamartoma in the nephroblastomatosis complex in infants. However, there was no mitosis and cellular atypia was minimal, suggesting benignity. According to these his-tologic features, the diagnosis of metanephric adenoma was made. Its clinicopathologic features are discussed.     

Immature dendritic cells (CD11c+ CD3- B220- cells) present in mouse peripheral blood

It is well known that dendritic cells (DCs) are developed from the peripheral blood of mice when peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are cultured with GM-CSF. We have previously found that immature DCs are present in the blood even in humans. In the present study, we show that CD11c+ CD3- B220- cells in the mouse peripheral blood are immature DCs. The percentage of CD11c+ CD3- B220- cells in the (PBMCs) of normal mice ranges from 0.5 to 2.5%. The CD11c+ CD3- B220- cells in the PBMCs show dendrites, similar in shape to the CD11c+ CD3- B220- cells in the spleen, which are thought to be DCs definitely. However, they have practically no capacity to stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic T cells, and show a lower expression of MHC class II, B7-1 and B7-2 than CD11c+ CD3- B220- cells in the spleen. When the CD11c+ CD3- B220- cells in the PBMCs are cultured with GM-CSF, they show not only the potent ability to stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic T cells but also a higher expression of MHC class II, B7-1 and B7-2. Moreover, they migrate into the spleen when they are injected intravenously. These results suggest that CD11c+ CD3- B220- cells in the PBMCs are immature DCs, and that they migrate into the spleen, where they mature.     

Circadian rhythms of pineal melatonin release in the pigeon measured by in vivo microdialysis.

Circadian rhythms of pineal melatonin release were measured in freely moving pigeons (Columba livia) by in vivo microdialysis. The birds were placed in light-dark cycles with 12 h of light and 12 h of darkness (LD 12:12) or continuous dim light (LLdim) after LD 12:12. Although the level of melatonin was various, daily changes of melatonin with higher levels during the dark and lower levels during the light were observed in all of the birds examined. The daily changes of melatonin persisted in LLdim, indicating circadian nature of pineal melatonin release. Moreover pineal melatonin release was inhibited by acute exposure of light during the dark. These results indicate that microdialysis is useful for studying circadian pineal melatonin rhythms of birds.     

Role of complement in acute tubulointerstitial injury of rats with aminonucleoside nephrosis.

The present work was designed to elucidate the in vivo role of complement in the proteinuria-associated tubulointerstitial injury. Rats were intravenously injected with puromycin aminonucleoside, and massive proteinuria was observed within 5 days. Prominent tubulointerstitial injury characterized by proximal tubular degeneration, tubular dilatation, and leukocyte infiltration were observed 7 days after injection. C3 and C5b-9 were observed in the luminal side of proximal tubular cells. Renal function, assessed by inulin and para-aminohippurate clearance, was significantly decreased. To-assess the role of complement in this model, rats were injected with either cobra venom factor or soluble recombinant human complement receptor type 1 starting at day 3. These manipulations significantly improved tubulointerstitial pathology and para-aminohippurate clearance without affecting the degree of proteinuria. Deposition of C3 and C5b-9 was not detected in the kidney of rats depleted of complement by cobra venom factor. In rats treated with soluble complement receptor, C3 was still detected in the tubules, but deposition of C5b-9 was not observed. Soluble complement receptor was detected at the site of C3 deposition and in the urine. These data strongly suggest that complement plays a pivotal role in proteinuria-associated tubulointerstitial injury and that systemic complement depletion or inhibition of complement in the tubular lumen may diminish the tubulointerstitial damage.